Just another WordPress.com weblog

He wobbled at first. His eye went white, and cleared up. He felt weak, then strong. His sword dragged the ground. All he knew was white-hot hate. He scented the air. Aether, dust, blood.

Tangent to both groups, but on a fast intercept course, Hariel was moving at top speed to intercept. He carried a weapon that looked more like a root than a weapon, but it cleaved wood and stone like it was paper and snow. It trailed after him, only flicking forward to clear a path. He had trailed this thing here, and now all the scents converged-and he was going to get his revenge on the ones who had turned him out here.

Irian, however, didn’t know anyone in the world even existed. The battle-rage was up in his blood, hotter and fiercer than it had ever been, and then he saw it. The dust cleared around him, and there it stood-six legs stomping, as the creature roared its defiance at Irian. It seemed to say, “You puny thing, you dare to defy me? I’ll chew your bones, little thing. Nothing has ever stopped me.” Irian saw it, and he raised his sword. As he did, aether arced around him. It lanced to the ground, striking Irian’s sword as he feinted and parried. The spooler and collimator spun, grabbing aether and slinging it back as he swiped in reply. This was a new development-it had never seen anyone send anything back at it. It struck the ground with a foreleg, and Irian dodged. As it drew back, Irian leapt onto the leg and swung. Aether glass met solid aether and rebounded. He couldn’t make his blade find purchase. The creature swatted at Irian, and he batted it aside. Irian knew this was going to be a long fight.

Back with our group of warriors, everyone had gathered themselves together and were giving chase-Namid and Thor running stride for stride, Elanor trying to keep up, and above all, the Prince had opened his pack, and gossamer wings of aether and silver propelled him towards the implacable foe.